fight back! reverberated off Court Street storefronts Friday when about 30 Athens residents protested the one-year anniversary of a landmark court case.
Chants of when democracy is under attack - stand up fight back! reverberated off Court Street storefronts Friday when about 30 Athens residents protested the one-year anniversary of a landmark court case.
January 21 marked the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which allows corporations to spend unlimited funds on campaigns for political candidates - a decision that angered some Athens residents.
A rally in front of the Athens County Courthouse protesting this decision, the 'Rally to Reclaim America,' was held by the Young Democratic Socialists of Athens, which is part of a larger national organization. The group called Athens residents to 'defend democracy' as a whole.
President of the Athens group and Ohio University senior Tyler Barton said he organized the rally not as an anti-corporations movement, but as a pro-democracy movement.
I think we as Americans
need to be more productive and less destructive
Barton said. This isn't an issue between Democrats and Republicans or liberals and conservatives
this is an issue that effects us all as people.
The group's current goal, Barton said, is to have Athens City Council pass a resolution outlining how the case needs to be overturned. The group hopes to do this by spring break , he added.
The idea is to make the protest a national movement, he said.
A member of City Council could not be reached for comment.
Some OU faculty and Athens residents joined in rallying for the cause as well.
People's rights under the first amendment are now restricted
said Bob Whealey, a history professor. Money can now buy Congress
a senate seat
even the presidency. Money is not speech.
As the group stood in protest, holding signs with sayings such as, 'I am a person, McDonald's is not,' local residents spoke to the protestors in support of the cause.
Natalie Woodroofe, director of the 30-Mile Meal Project, spoke of the importance of buying locally grown food and how doing so would hurt big corporations.
Face-to-face food buying doesn't mean being face-to-face with Ronald McDonald
Woodroofe said.
Director of OU's United Campus Ministries and Athens resident Jan Griesinger, spoke of how America's freedoms and ideals need to be fought for by all of its citizens and that Athens was a good place to start this trend.
Athens is unique
Griesinger said. We are progressive and have many different groups of people with different ideas. The university helps bring out these ideas and helps get students involved.
@ThePostCity
